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Annual Reports

FY17 Annual Report

Highlights:

  • Bookmobile hits the streets
  • Enhanced virtual branch features
  • Friends Foundation is 25 years old
  • Bathroom security cameras outlawed by State Legislature

The word for the year was “Bookmobile” – planning, planning, planning, training, training, training, doing, doing, doing. As big a project as the bookmobile is though, it is only a relatively small component of what makes us the busiest public library in Iowa. This year we offered a great diversity of programming and collections, made significant improvements in how we use technology to deliver information and serve our community, began a year-long celebration to mark the impact of the Friends Foundation’s 25 years of support, and faced some challenges to offering a safe and secure environment.

Former Library Director, Lolly Eggers on the Bookmobile's first day out.
Videogame night as part of Iowa City's first-ever downtown Block Party.
Dr.John Meehan, Jingle Cross founder, presented at the Library as part of the Jingle Cross and Cyclo-Cross World Cup. Iowa City welcomed teams and fans from around the world.
One slippery January day a vehicle crashed into the book returns on the west side of Iowa City. The outcome was two new returns which took a few weeks to fabricate and get installed.
Once again, ICPL staff maneuvered book carts through the Homecoming Parade route with unique formations.
With more than a decade of experience as a family entertainer, Dino's live shows and studio recordings reflect his time as both an educator and a performer. He is a master at tricking kids into learning.
ICPL's first-ever STEAMfest provided great Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics fun and activities for the entire family.
We couldn't do what we do without our volunteers. We recognize years of service in five-year increments.
Staff proudly wear their new Bookmobile t-shirts in front of our newest outreach service.
Iowa City was lucky to host Shakespeare's First Folio tour/exhibit at the University of Iowa. ICPL and the Farmer's Market sponsored one of the many associated programs about how flowers and herbs were used in Shakespeare's time.
The STEAMfest transformed the meeting rooms into a steam train. All of this was made possible with the generous support of the Community Foundation of Johnson County and Bywater Family Endowment Fund, The Iowa City/Coralville Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, The Iowa City Public Library Friends Foundation, and the Rev. Dr. Barbara Schlachter Memorial Fund.
The Macbride Raptor Center made a return visit to the library this year.
Patty McCarthy helps with scavenger hunt registration; one of the many late-night things to do at the library during Iowa City's Block Party.
That was the name given to houses where smallpox victims were quarantined in Iowa City and elsewhere. This was a Weber Day's tour to Iowa City's Pest House, east of the Black Angel statue in Oakland Cemetery.

Quick Facts

Population Served

Iowa City 73,415
Rural Johnson County (by contract) 22,523
University Heights (by contract) 1,125
Hills (by contract) 806
Lone Tree (by contract) 1,408
SERVICE AREA 99,277

Collections

Books/eBooks 188,701
Non-print Materials 49,949
Print and Electronic Reference 3,057
Periodicals, Newspapers & e-subscriptions 400
TOTAL COLLECTION SIZE 242,107

Annual Usership Figures

Cardholders 61,117
Circulation 1,307,140
Visits to the Library 797,017
Information Requests 42,360
Program Attendance in Meeting Room 41,514
Non-Library Meeting Room Use 1,497

Reports

Financials

Statistics